She then worked as an activities officer, booking bands and organising events, first at Flinders University and then La Trobe University in Melbourne from 1980. In Melbourne she fronted an all-female band called Toxic Shock, which released a single, "Intoxicated" in 1981.[1]
Career in journalism
After realising that what she really wanted to do was journalism, in 1988 Kelly moved to Sydney to work on The Drum on Triple J.[1] In 1990 she became a reporter for ABC Radio National's current affairs programs AM and PM. Kelly became Canberra bureau chief, chief political correspondent with AM and PM, political editor for ABC's Radio National Breakfast and ABC television's The 7:30 Report and the ABC's Europe correspondent. In 2005 she returned to Australia to host Radio National Breakfast.[4]
Kelly was involved with the documentary series The Howard Years in 2008, for which she interviewed former US president George W. Bush.[1] She has appeared as a panellist and commentator on ABC TV's Insiders,[5] and hosted the show from August to December 2019.[6]
On 21 October 2021 Kelly announced that she was leaving RN Breakfast, although she would continue to work of the ABC in roles such as covering federal elections, continuing as co-host of the podcastThe Party Room, and other future projects.[7] Her last show was on 2 December 2021.
In August 2022, Kelly was announced as the host of a new chat show on ABC TV called Frankly.[8] Her appointment attracted criticism from a number of newspaper columnists who all opined that the job should have been given to someone much younger.[9][10][11] This prompted a public debate about the apparent ageist attitudes and discrimination towards older women in the media.[12][13] ABC chair Ita Buttrose and Kelly's successor at RN BreakfastPatricia Karvelas were also criticised after they both defended Kelly against what they perceived to be ageist attitudes.[14][11]
In 2008 Kelly received a Same Same 25 award, recognising her as one of the country's most influential gay and lesbian Australians.[19] She was named by the(sydney)magazine[a] as one of Sydney's 100 most influential people of 2011,[1] and was described by the Australian electronic magazine Crikey as "one of the most influential media players in the country" in the same year.[21]
Political views and activism
Kelly has described herself as an activist.[1] Kelly is a feminist, and stated in a 2012 interview that she's identified as such since her school years.[4]
In 2007, Kelly launched the Australian Human Rights Commission's "Same-Sex: Same Entitlements" inquiry.[4] She has been involved with One Just World's speaker forums, moderating a "Women of the World" forum for WOMADelaide and speaking on the "Stand Up Against Poverty" forum in 2009.[22]
Personal life
In August 2021, it was reported that Kelly had been with her partner, Marion Frith, for almost 30 years. Kelly is step-parent to Frith's three children from a previous relationship.[23]
^Mitchell, Thomas (15 August 2022). "Fran Kelly is fine and familiar, but she's not the future of the ABC". The Sydney Morning Herald. The possibilities are … oh wait, it's Fran Kelly. On Wednesday, ABC confirmed the former RN Breakfast broadcaster, who is aged in her 60s, would be the host of Frankly, and frankly, I don't know why I got my hopes up.
^ abFaruqi, Osman (7 October 2022). "Ita Buttrose has revealed she doesn't understand the ABC's biggest problem". The Sydney Morning Herald. Buttrose and Kelly's Breakfast replacement Patricia Karvelas dismissed this critique as an example of "ageism"... Buttrose patronisingly discarded the criticism as the "ignorance of youth".
^Quinn, Karl (8 October 2022). "Was Fran Kelly's new ABC chat show really worth staying in for?". The Age. Retrieved 10 October 2022. It was OK, nothing more, nothing less...there's no reason to think Frankly can't become a decent addition to the genre, but it will take time